We’re hugely excited to be launching our new MA History Place and Community from the Institute of Historical Research, with applications now open for autumn 2023. 

All histories are grounded in place. Communities shape our identities, whether through local neighbourhoods or global diasporas, or the stories we remember together over time. 
Today, the intersections between history, place and community have never been more visible in public discourse, heritage interpretation, conservation and policy.  

The programme draws on the vast expertise of the IHR’s Centre for the History of People, Place and Community, the Victoria County History of England, and History & Policy, as well as the strengths in place-based history built over decades through the IHR’s Centre for Metropolitan History, now continued in projects such as Layers of London. Students will also benefit from the IHR’s extensive networks and partnerships with experts and organisations beyond Higher Education. 

This exciting new programme is designed to be flexible and centred on your needs: whether you’re building the foundations for higher-level research, looking to develop applied skills for your professional development, or simply interested in your own place and its local history. 

Some modules can be taken individually as credit-bearing University of London micro-qualifications, or you can choose to take the full MA programme. Hybrid teaching includes online seminars and asynchronous content – as well as intensive ‘conference style’ teaching days each term, making the most of the outstanding IHR collections and our location at Senate House in the heart of London. 

Your final project can be either a traditional dissertation, or a special project like a podcast series or creative piece – or you can choose the placement route, tackling a critical challenge through hands-on experience with one of our partners across the heritage and archives sector. 

 
Modules include: 

  • Thinking History 
  • Connecting History 
  • Scoping and Planning a Project 
  • Historic Places: Landscapes, Buildings and Significance 
  • Applied Public History 
  • Layers of London: Deep Mapping London’s History 
  • Place and Policy 
  • Final Project / Dissertation 
  • IHR London Summer School 

You can apply now, or contact IHR colleagues with any questions about the programme. We look forward to welcoming our first students in autumn 2023!